Flying Home
by Iniysa
Summary: For Acting Captain Kirk, the trip home after the Narada incident might be just a painful as the adventure itself.


Flying Home

By Lauren Freeman

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I am not making any money off this story.

This had been the longest day of Acting Captain Jim Kirks adult life. He could honestly not say that this had been the longest day of his entire life because it hadn't. The last months on Tarsus IV had been nothing but longest day after longest day. He could say, however; that it had been amongst the top five most painful day's of his entire life.

Jim had never wanted to be hypoed more. One with a powerful pain reliever and the other, a very strong sedative. At the current rate they were limping back towards the nearest star base, it would be at least two months before this mission concluded. Now that the crisis was over, the adrenalin long gone, and the admirals had stopped sending messages demanding the reports he had finally finished; all he wanted to do was sleep long and hard. Unfortunately he A. had no bed and B. knew that despite how bone wary tired he was, to much had happened. To much was soaring through his brain for it to shut down on it's own. Hence the need to be sedated, well that and he didn't want to be awake when Bones fixed him.

Jim had only ever asked Bones to give him a hypo once since they had met three years before. Notorious for doing everything possible to get AWAY from the damn things, Jim asking for one had nearly sent the good doctor into a stroke. Or from the shocked look Bones had given, as well as the multitude of colors and the lack of ability to speak etc, Jim had decided. In the end, Bones had given it to him. It had been the last day of finals their first year. While everyone was off getting drunk, Bones had walked into their dorm room only to find Jim laying in the dark. A full day after the migraine had been neutralized by a well placed hypo filled with drugs, which Jim couldn't pronounce; did he finally get up and drag Bones to the bars.

But today, the pain was almost to much. Sitting hurt, the simple act of breathing hurt; his head was killing him and only seemed to be getting worse. So while Spock had gone off to meditate and make sure their Vulcan survivors were being taken care of; Jim had tried to stand up and walk around. That had only made his body hurt worse, and his vision tilt dangerously; so he quickly sat back down. For the first time in his life he could not wait to go to a sickbay. (At the Academy it had been the clinic he steered clear of.) He knew it had to be the deep exhaustion and pain that was making him have these insane thoughts, he would probably think about shooting himself for such blasphemous thoughts later. Where was Spock?

As if summoned, the turbolift doors opened and out stepped his first officer. The half Vulcan stepped out of the small round moving room before looking around, his eyes caught the acting captain's pain filled once, he quickly moved over to him.

"Captain, you should head to sick bay to have a doctor look over you. I will take the Conn." Spock stated in a matter of fact tone. Jim tried to nod but that hurt too.

"Alright Spock, you have the conn." His voice came out horse, he winced at just the sound of it. The Vulcan nodded before stepping back. Jim painfully got up and to his chagrin could feel the eyes of the crew staring at him as he slowly made his way to the turbolift himself. It seemed to take forever to maneuver his pain filled body through the long hallways that led to the medical bay. And was it just him, or was the air thinner? As he moved, the other crew members would stop and salute as he passed. He should have loved that, he had dreamed of it happening at least once a month since he had been accepted into the Command track in only his second year. But he was hurting way to much to pay much attention, let alone salute back. The crew seemed to understand this, a few even asked if they could help; but by then he had already made it within sight of the large doors that led into the most dreaded part of the ship. He declined politely and made it to his designation at last.

Upon stepping into the med bay he was dismayed to find every single bed full. He could feel a bubble of panic rise within him as he glanced around for Bones. He would lay on the floor for all he cared, just knock him out first. A nurse noticed him and walked up.

"Sir, what can I do for you?" The nurse asked already eyeing his many visible injuries.

"I need to see Bones." Jim mumbled, his voice was even more horse then a few minutes back.

"I'm sorry?" The nurse looked alarmed now and was clearly checking his pupils for signs of a concussion or any other brain problem.

"Dr. McCoy. I call him Bones. I need to see him." Jim stated, he was starting to feel shaky on his feet, and really, what was wrong with the oxygen on this ship?!

"Dr. McCoy is currently in surgery with Captain Pike. Come sit in a chair and I will see what I can do." The nurse seemed nice but she didn't know his many allergies, or well anything about him. He could feel a bubble of panic within his stomach, but he sat down in the chair she led him too anyways. He needed to get off his feet, fast.

"Why didn't you come here sooner, you look like you've been through the ringer." The nurse asked.

"Busy." Jim mumbled back, he felt like he had been through ten ringers. "Check my chart before you give me anything. I'm allergic to a lot." He stated almost breathlessly.

"Name?" She asked pulling over a PADD.

"James T. Kirk." Jim mumbled back. A small voice in his head, that would normally be blaring loud; thought he should be annoyed that she didn't seem to know just who he was by now. He was only her current acting captain, after all. But he was to tired and hurt to care in this instance. She paused at his name looking like she was trying to place where she had heard it before, as she typed it into the PADD. If she realized who he was, she didn't show it.

"You are allergic to everything." She mumbled as she scrolled through the long, long list.

"Please, I just need a pain reliever and something to help me sleep." He mumbled. "Bones will know what to do." He whispered.

"I can't send you to your quarters like this. You will need to be checked out. Here, put this gown on behind this curtain, and I am going to go grab a scanner. Are you going to need any help getting undressed?" This question would have meant trouble if Jim had been in his right mind, but as it was...

"I don't know. Maybe." He mumbled, he was having trouble standing back up. She carefully helped him stand before grabbing the gown and closing the curtain around them. Slowly he was de-robed down to his boxers, but before he could get the gown on, the nurse began to visually examine all of the wounds she had not been able to see before. Shaking her head with a look of wonder and horror in her eyes, she helped him into the dreaded, one sided gown.

He sat down again the curtain was once again opened. Grabbing a tri-corder she began to scan him from the top of his head down. She was frowning almost immediately. Finally she took a step back eyeing him warily.

"Your critical, and you walked here on your own?" She asked before it dawned on her exactly what she had said. 'Your critical.' She cursed and looked around almost franticly. She needed a bed, now. It was in this moment Bones finally stepped out looking just as tired as Jim. The nurse spotted him immediately.

"Doctor!" She called. Bones rushed over to where Jim was seated and cursed the moment he saw him.

"What seems to be the problem Nurse Chapel?" She gave him the tri-corder with it's recorded readings. He began to curse as he read. Meanwhile Jim's focused had long since stopped being on the two people in front of him. It had moved away from the enormous amount of pain he was in and was now settled on the fact that he was really having trouble breathing now. One hand touched his swelling throat the other grabbed Bone's arm almost frantically. Leonard glanced up at the feeling of Jim's hand on his arm and was instantly alarmed even further at the bluish tint to Jim's lips and face.

"Damn it! I need a gurney!" Dr. McCoy yelled and one was almost instantly beside him. Jim barely noticed that he was no longer sitting or that he was being rushed from the main wing and into a medium sized room with only one other occupant. The glass doors to the ICU swished shut behind them as they placed Jim on the only other bio bed in the room. Instantly every alarm on the bed went off. Still cursing, Bones began treatment. Somewhere between the gurney and the bed, however; Jim had lost conciseness.

Upon waking the first thing he felt was the tube down his throat. Yep, he was now at the regretting going to sick bay part of this deal. Then again the fact that he NEEDED a breathing tube down his throat meant it was good he had been here. But still. He knew he must still be lightly sedated by the fact that he was not panicking over the tube. Opening his eyes he glanced around at the unfamiliar room. The bed next to his held the real captain of this Star Ship, Christopher Pike, who was staring at him. Jim could only see him with one eye since you could not really turn his head with the freaking tube breathing for him. The next think he noticed was that he was finally, blissfully, numb. Okay so maybe being in sick bay was not so bad after all. He would never admit this to Bones, however.

The sound of the automatic doors opening was heard and Bones stepped in and stepped up to Pike who was closest to the door. As he checked the captains vitals on the many monitors the ICU bio beds (So much more then the regular bio beds had) the Captain spoke.

"How am I doing, doc?" His voice was rough.

"You've been better. But under the circumstance, you're doing fine. You had internal bleeding and a parasite living on your spinal cord. We fixed the internal damage and when you were stable enough we got the creature out, but there was minor damage to your spinal cord. You will need a lot of rehab, but I'm fairly sure you should make a almost complete recovery.

"Define 'almost'." Pike stated with a glare. There was a long pause.

"You should be able to walk unassisted after your rehab is complete, however; you probably will have nerve damage which will in all likely hood ground you permanently. I'm sorry." Dr. McCoy stated. There was a pregnant pause before Pike responded.

"Thank you for being honest, doc." He stated quietly. Bones nodded then walked over to Kirk.

"What happened to him?" Pike asked now staring at Kirk once more.

"Somehow our ACTING captain managed to get himself a concussion and damaged his airway severely. I spent eight hours repairing his liver, spleen and kidneys. Then I wrapped his four cracked ribs. He is undergoing a massive regeneration treatment to ninety percent of his body due to severe bruising and lacerations. The swelling in his throat is starting to come down and we should be able to take the tube out soon. Which is good because I want details on every one of his injuries." Bones grumbled the last part. He finished reading Jim's vitals again before looking into the deep blue eyes that was his best friend. He looked like he wanted to start lecturing Jim right then and there but backed off. Jim could only watch. Finally Pike spoke again.

"Acting captain?! What the hell happened to Spock?!" It was going to be a long trip home.


End file.
